The

island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

s comprising the

Taiwan Area The free area of the Republic of China, also known as the "Taiwan Area of the Republic of China", "Tai-Min Area (Taiwan and Fujian)" or simply the "Taiwan Area", is a term used by the government of the Republic of China (ROC) to refer to ...

under the jurisdiction of the

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...

(ROC) are classified into various island groups. The

island of Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an island country located in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known in the Western political circles, News media, press and Western literature, literature as Formosa, makes up 99% of ...

, also known as Formosa, is the largest island and the main component of the ROC-controlled territories. Islands that are claimed by the ROC but not administered, including those under the control of the People's Republic of China, and those disputed with other countries such as Senkaku Islands and most of

South China Sea Islands The South China Sea Islands consist of over 250 islands, atolls, cays, shoals, reefs and seamounts in the South China Sea. The islands are mostly low and small, and have few inhabitants. The islands and surrounding seas are subject to overla ...

, are excluded from this list. At the adoption of

Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China The Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China are the revisions and constitutional amendments to the original constitution to meet the requisites of the nation and the political status of Taiwan "prior to national uni ...

in the 1990s, these islands collectively form the "Free area of the Republic of China" or known alternatively as "Taiwan Area", which legally defines the territorial extent under the actual control of the ROC government. Some Taiwanese islands have various translations in English due to different systems of romanization in Chinese language in use, or derivation of differing linguistic origins from Mandarin, Hokkien, indigenous languages or other foreign languages. Some islands also have different names derived from particular historical periods which remain in use to this day. (Note: On pages 154 and 158, Baiyan is colored light green as is the rest of Kinmen County, excluding the Dadeng (Tateng) Islands. The islet is found in several other maps of Kinmen County (excluding the Dadeng Islands) included in the book.)

Archipelagos of Taiwan

There are in total of 166 islands, these islands can be classified into the following geographical units:

List of major islands by area

List of Taiwanese islands with over 5 km² of area.

List of islands by geographical unit

Taiwan proper

Island of Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an island country located in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known in the Western political circles, News media, press and Western literature, literature as Formosa, makes up 99% of ...

(Formosa; ) **

Kaohsiung Kaohsiung City (Mandarin Chinese: ; Wade–Giles: ''Kao¹-hsiung²;'' Pinyin: ''Gāoxióng'') is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Kaohsi ...

***

Cijin Cijin District (; Hokkien POJ: ''Kî-tin-khu'') is a district of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, covering Cijin Island () and islands in the South China Sea. It is the second smallest district in Kaohsiung City after Yancheng District, with an area of ...

(); formerly a longshore bar connected to the island of Taiwan at the southern tip, this link was severed in 1975 due to Kaohsiung Port construction. **

Keelung City Keelung () or Jilong () (; Hokkien POJ: '), officially known as Keelung City, is a major port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan. The city is a part of the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area, along with its neighbors, New Taipe ...

***

Keelung Islet Keelung Islet (, also , in Taiwanese Hokkien: 雞籠杙/Ke-lâng-khit) is a small island in Zhongzheng District, Keelung, Taiwan and away from the Port of Keelung. It has an area of or . It is in length, and in width including the artificial h ...

() ***

Hoping Island Heping Island Park () is a park in Heping Island, Zhongzheng District, Keelung, Taiwan. History Strong wind over the years had eroded the coastal area of Heping Island, forming rocks with special shapes. The park used to be under military cont ...

() ***The Three Northern Islands () ****

Huaping Islet Huaping Islet (), Taiwanese Hokkien: () is an high island in Zhongzheng District, Keelung, Taiwan located in the East China Sea. The islet is long and wide with an elevation of . ' Pyroxene and andesite are the major rock types of the islet. ...

() ****

Mianhua Islet Mianhua Islet () is a high island in Zhongzheng District, Keelung, Zhongzheng District, Keelung, Taiwan, located in the East China Sea. Pingfong Rock, just east of the islet, is the easternmost point under the actual control of Taiwan (ROC). ...

(), the easternmost island under the actual control of the Republic of China記者盧賢秀,"北方三島小檔案",

Liberty Times The ''Liberty Times'' is a national newspaper published in Taiwan. Founded by Lin Rong-San, it is published by the Liberty Times Group, which also publishes ''Taipei Times'', an English language newspaper . The newspaper was first published on 1 ...

,2010-8-30. ****

Pengjia Islet Pengjia Islet (), also known as P'eng-chia Hsü, Hōka-sho, Agincourt, Dashihshan Islet, Chaolai Islet, P'eng-chia Yü or Pengchia Islet, is an islet north of Taiwan and is administered under Zhongzheng District, Keelung City. It is under Taiwan ...

() **

Nantou County Nantou County (; Hokkien POJ: ''Lâm-tâu-koān''; Hakka PFS: ''Nàm-thèu-yen'') is the second largest county of Taiwan by area, located in the central part of the country. It is also the only non-coastal county in Taiwan. Its name derives fro ...

***

Lalu Lalu may refer to: People * Lalu Muhammad Zohri, an Indonesian sprinter *Lalu Prasad Yadav, an Indian politician * Shahidul Islam (Lalu), the youngest Bangladeshi to receive the Bir Pratik award * Polly Bemis, born Lalu Nathoy, a Chinese American p ...

(); a

lake island A lake island is any landmass within a lake. It is a type of inland island. Lake islands may form a lake archipelago. Formation Lake islands may form in numerous ways. They may occur through a build-up of sedimentation as shoals, and become ...

within the

Sun Moon Lake Sun Moon Lake (; Thao: ''Zintun'') is a lake in Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan. It is the largest body of water in Taiwan. The area around the lake is home to the Thao tribe, one of aboriginal tribes of Taiwan. Sun Moon Lake surround ...

New Taipei New Taipei City is a Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality located in northern Taiwan. The city is home to an estimated population of 3,974,683 as of 2022, making it the most populous city of Taiwan, and also the second largest s ...

***

Twin Candlestick Islets The Twin Candlestick Islets () are islets in Jinshan District, New Taipei, Taiwan. History The islets were once part of Jinshan Cape. Due to the continuous movement of tectonics plates and coastal erosion, they separated from the island of Tai ...

(Zhútái Shuāng Yǔ; ) **

Pingtung County Pingtung County is a county located in southern Taiwan. It has a warm tropical monsoon climate and is known for its agriculture and tourism. Kenting National Park, Taiwan's oldest national park, is located in the county. The county seat is Pin ...

*** Hsiao Liuchiu (Lamay Islet; ) *** Qixingyan (Seven star reefs;) **

Taitung County Taitung County (; Mandarin pinyin: ''Táidōng Xiàn''; Hokkien POJ: ''Tâi-tang-koān''; Hakka PFS: ''Thòi-tûng-yen''; Paiwan: ''Valangaw'';lit:Eastern part of Taiwan) is the third largest county in Taiwan, located primarily on the island' ...

*** Green Island (Lyudao, Samasana; ) ***

Orchid Island Orchid Island, also known by other names, is a volcanic island off the southeastern coast of Taiwan Island. The island is part of Taiwan. It is separated from the Batanes of the Philippines by the Bashi Channel of the Luzon Strait. It is gove ...

(Lanyu, Ponso no Tao, Botel Tobago; ) ***

Lesser Orchid Island Orchid Island, also known by other names, is a volcanic island off the southeastern coast of Taiwan Island. The island is part of Taiwan. It is separated from the Batanes of the Philippines by the Bashi Channel of the Luzon Strait. It is gove ...

(Hsiao Lanyu, Jimagaod; ) *** Sansiantai ( ) ** Yilan County *** Guishan Island / Gueishan Island (Turtle Mount; ) *** Guiluan Island (Kuei-luan Tao, Kiran-to; , )

Penghu/Pescadores

Penghu Islands The Penghu (, Hokkien POJ: ''Phîⁿ-ô͘'' or ''Phêⁿ-ô͘'' ) or Pescadores Islands are an archipelago of 90 islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait, located approximately west from the main island of Taiwan, covering an are ...

(Pescadores Islands; ) (Penghu County) **Penghu () **

Hujing Island Hujing Island / Huching Island / Hujing Islet () is an islet in Hujing Village (), Magong City, Penghu County (the Pescadores), Taiwan. The island has also been known as ''Da'anshan'' () and the nearby Tongpan Island as ''Xiao'anshan'' (). The ...

(Hujing Islet, Huching Island; ) **

Tongpan Island Tongpan Island () is an island in Tongpan Village (), Magong City, Penghu County (the Pescadores), Taiwan. Tongpan Island is about from the main island of Penghu. A ferry runs between Tongpan Island and Penghu Main Island twice a day and more ...

() ** Baisha () ***Baisha Main Island (白沙島) ***

Jibei Island Jibei Island (Chipei Island; ) is an island in Baisha Township, Penghu County, Taiwan. Geology The island is located 5.5 km off of Penghu Island with a size of 3.05 km2. Transportation The island houses the Jibei wharf, with destination to C ...

() ***Chungtun (Zhongtun) Island (中屯嶼) ***

Yuanbei Island Yuanbei Island or Yuanbei Islet (), also transliterated as Inkai Island, is an island in Baisha Township, Penghu County (the Pescadores), Taiwan. See also * List of islands of Taiwan The islands comprising the Taiwan Area under the jurisdic ...

() ***Tiejhen (Tiezhen) Island (鐵砧嶼) ***

Gupo Island Gupo Island (), also transliterated as Koba Island, is an island in Baisha Township, Penghu County, Taiwan. Demographics The island is uninhabitated. Economy Nearby residents come to the island for laver harvest in early winter every year. ...

() ***

Xianjiao Island Xianjiao Island () is an island in Baisha Township, Penghu Islands (the Pescadores) archipelago. It is in the Taiwan Strait of the South China Sea, off the west coast of Taiwan. See also *Islands of Taiwan The islands comprising the Taiwan ...

() ***Bird Island (鳥嶼) ***

Mudou Island Mudou Island () is an island in Baisha Township, Penghu County, Taiwan. It is in the Taiwan Strait off the west coast of Taiwan. The island was formed from plateau basalt. Name The island was named ''Ba̍k-táu-sū'' () at first because the ...

() **

Siyu Siyu is a settlement on the north coast of Pate Island, within the Lamu Archipelago in Kenya's Coast Province. The age of Siyu is not known, but it might date from the 13th century.Martin, 1973, p. 23 There are some other accounts that mentio ...

(Yuwong, Yü-weng Tao, Gyoō-tō; ) *** Xiaomen Yu (Siaomen Islet, Hsiao-men hsü, Shō-mon-sho; 小門嶼) *** Haiqian Reef (海墘礁) ** Cimei (Qimei;) ** Wang-an () ***

Hua Islet Hua Islet () is an islet in Huayu Village (), Wangan Township, Penghu County (the Pescadores), Taiwan. Hua Islet is the westernmost point in Penghu (the Pescadores). The island has also been known as "West Islet" (). The Japanese-built Huayu L ...

() ***Mau Islets ( 貓嶼) ***Cau Islet (草嶼) ***Nan Yun (南塭/南𥔋) ***Maanshan Islet () ***Jiangjyunao Islet (Chiang-chün-ao hsü, Shōgunō-sho; ) ***Chuanfanyu Reef () ***Toujin () ***Tiejhen () ***West Islet (Hsi-hsü-p'ing, Sei-sūpin; ) ***East Islet (Tung-hsü-p'ing, Tō-sūpin; ) ***Siji Islet (Hsi-chi hsü, Saikichi-sho; ) ***Chutou Islet () ***

Dongji Island Dongji Island / Dongji Islet / Tungchi Island () is an island in Dongji Village (), Wangan Township, Penghu County (the Pescadores), Taiwan. Dongji Island has also been known as ''Nandongyu'' (). The island is the site of the Dongji Island Lig ...

(Dongji Islet, Tung-chi hsü, Tō-kichi-sho; )

Kinmen/Quemoy

*Kinmen (Kinmen, Quemoy, Main island; ) (main island, divided into four townships) *Jinhu Township **

Dongding Island Dongding Island () is an 0.0160 square kilometer island in the Taiwan Strait in Jinhu Township, Kinmen County (Quemoy), Fujian Province, Republic of China (Taiwan). The island is the southernmost point of Kinmen County. The island is near Longh ...

(, ) (approximately to the southwest) **

Beiding Island Beiding Island (Dodd Island, Pei-ting Tao, Beiding Dao, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency) (, pinyin: ''Běidìng Dǎo'') is an island located east of Greater Kinmen in Jinhu Township, Kinmen County, Fujian Province, Repub ...

( 北碇島) (approximately to the east) **Mu Yu, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency () **etc. *Jinsha Township **Cao Islet () **Hou Islet/Xishanyu () **Baiyan Island ()
(Note: The County/City Boundary () as shown in this map includes Dabo Reef, Siaobo Reef and Baiyan Island within Kinmen County.) **Dabo Reef () **Xiaobo Reef (Siaobo Reef; ) **Dongge, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Tung-ko; ) **Guan'ao Jiao, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Kuan-ao Chiao; ) **Xiyuan Yu, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Hsi-yüan Yü; ) **Gou Yu, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (狗嶼) **Yangshanyu (洋山嶼) **etc. *Jinning Township **Daqian (大墘) *Jincheng Township **

Jiangong Islet The Jiangong Islet () (also Jiangong Yu, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency) is a tidal island in Jincheng Township, Kinmen County, Fujian Province, Republic of China (Taiwan). History The islet was originally named Chu Islet ...

(建功嶼) **Hei Yan, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Hei Yen; ) **Dayan Islet, Dayan Yu, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Ta-yen Hsü, Ta-lu-tung; ) **etc. *Lieyu Township **

Lesser Kinmen Lieyu Township (Liehyu) (; pinyin: ''Lièyǔ Xiāng''; Hokkien POJ: ''Lia̍t-sū-hiong'') is a rural township in Kinmen County (Quemoy), Fujian Province, Republic of China (Taiwan). It mainly consists of Lesser Kinmen (; Pīnyīn: ''Xiǎojīnm� ...

(Hsiao Kinmen, Lieyu; ) (second largest island of Kinmen County) **

Dadan Island Dadan Island (Tatan, Taitan Island, Tae-tan/Taetan) (, originally ) is an island in Lieyu Township, Kinmen County, Fujian Province, Republic of China (Taiwan). The island is in the Taiwan Strait, along the coast of Mainland China. It is located ...

Erdan Island Erdan Island (Erhtan Island) (, also ) is an island in Lieyu Township, Kinmen County (Quemoy), Taiwan. The island has been called Seao-tan. Erdan Island is from Greater Kinmen Island and from Xiamen (Amoy) Island. History On February 21, 1 ...

( 二膽島) **

Fuxing Islet Fuxing Islet () (Fuhsing Islet, Hou-chai Hsü) is an islet located south of Lesser Kinmen (Lieyu) in Lieyu Township, Kinmen County (Quemoy), Fujian Province, Republic of China (Taiwan). The name of the islet was originally Phaktia (). Histo ...

(Fuhsing Islet; Phaktia) () ** Menghu Islet () **

Shi Islet Shi Islet (; also Shi Yu,, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Shih Yü,, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Shiyu, Shiyu Islet and Lion Islet) is an islet located northwest of Lesser Kinmen (Lieyu) in Li ...

(Lion Islet) () ** Binlang Islet () **Hsiao Kinmen Island (小金門島) **Houtouyu (後頭嶼) **Wu Jiao, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Wu Chiao; ) **Guizijiao (桂子礁) **Huangyu (黃嶼) **Sanjiaojiao/Yanyu, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (三腳礁/三角礁/煙嶼) **Niuxinjiao (牛心礁) **Chijiaojiao (赤角礁) **Xiaodan, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Hsiao-tan, Siaodan; ) **Menkou Jiao, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (門口礁) **Tu Yu, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency ('Rabbit Islet', Tuyu, T'u Hsü; ) **Dananjiao (大南礁) **Shishan (石山) **Sandan, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency/Sandandao (San-tan 三膽/三擔島) **Sidan, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency/Sidandao (Ssu-tan, Tao-sao Hsü 四膽/四擔島) **Wudan, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Wu-tan 五膽/五擔) **Muyu (目嶼) **etc.

Matsu Islands

Matsu Islands The Matsu Islands ( or , ; Foochow Romanized: Mā-cū liĕk-dō̤), officially Lienchiang County (, ; Foochow Romanized: Lièng-gŏng-gâing), are an archipelago of 36 islands and islets in the East China Sea governed by the Republic of China ( ...

() **

Beigan Beigan Township (; Foochow Romanized: Báe̤k-găng-hiŏng), is an insular rural township in Lienchiang County (the Matsu Islands), Taiwan (ROC). The township is in the East China Sea off the coast of Fujian Province, China near Fuzhou (Foochow ...

(Peikan; ) ***

Gaodeng Island Gaodeng Island (Kaoteng, Kao-teng Tao) (; Foochow Romanized: Gŏ̤-dĕng-dō̤, also Pei-sha Tao (), , ) is an island in the East China Sea, part of Beigan Township, Lienchiang County (the Matsu Islands), Fujian Province, Republic of China ...

(Kaoteng; 高登島) ***

Daqiu Island Daqiu Island (Ta Chiu/Tachiu) (; Foochow Romanized: Duâi-kiŭ-dō̤) is an island in the East China Sea, part of Beigan Township, Lienchiang County (the Matsu Islands), Fujian Province, Republic of China (Taiwan). The island has been uninhabite ...

() ***Xiaoqiu (Kiao Tse ) ***Wumingdao / Bluff Head (Wu-ming Tao; ) ***Qiaotou (Ch’iao-t’ou; ) ***Jinyu () ***

Liang Island Liang Island (Larne Island, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency) (; Foochow Romanized: Liông-dō̤, originally , Lang Tao ) is an island located in the East China Sea in Beigan Township, Lienchiang County (the Matsu Islands ...

( 亮島) ***Langyan () / Liang Reef (Liangjiao Reef; ) ***Sanlianyu / Trio Rocks () ***Zhongdao () ***Baimiao () ***Laoshu () *** Turtle Island (亀島) ** Nankan (Nangan; ) ***Huangguanyu () ***Liuquanjiao () ***Xiejiao () ***Beiquanjiao () **

Dongyin Dongyin Township (Tungyin) (; Foochow Romanized: Dĕ̤ng-īng-hiŏng) is an insular rural township which is part of Lienchiang County (the Matsu Islands), Fujian Province, Republic of China (Taiwan). The islands are in the East China Sea off th ...

(Tungyin; ) ***Xiyin (Hsiyin; ) ***Beigu Reef () *The northernmost island under the actual control of the Republic of China. ***Zhongzhu Island (Chung-chu Tao; ) ***Furong Reef (Furong Jiao; ) ***Shuangzijiao () ***Dongsha Dao, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Tung-sha Tao; ) ** Chukuang (Jyuguang; ) *** Tungchu (Dongjyu, Dongquan; 東莒, 東犬) *** Hsichu (Xijyu, Xiquan; 西莒, 西犬) ***Xiniuyu (犀牛嶼) ***Sheshan (蛇山) ***Lintou'ao (林頭坳) ***Dayu (大嶼) *** Yongliou ( 永留嶼)

Wuqiu/Ockseu

* Wuqiu (Ockseu, Wuchiu, Wuciou; ) **Daqiu (Tachiu, Taciou; ) **Xiaoqiu (Hsiaochiu; )

South China Sea Islands

() (Administration under Cijin District, Kaohsiung Municipality; only the following islands listed below are controlled by the ROC) **

Pratas Island Pratas Island,, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency also known as the Tungsha Islands or the Dongsha Islands (), is a coral island situated in the northern part of the South China Sea administered as part of Cijin District, Kao ...

(Tungsha, Dong-sha; ) **

Spratly Islands The Spratly Islands ( fil, Kapuluan ng Kalayaan; zh, c=南沙群島/南沙群岛, s=, t=, p=Nánshā Qúndǎo; Malay, id, Kepulauan Spratly; vi, Quần đảo Trường Sa) are a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea. Composed o ...

(Nansha, Nan-sha; ; disputed with several Southeast Asian countries and China) ***

Taiping __NOTOC__ Taiping, Tai-p’ing, or Tai Ping most often refers to: Chinese history * Princess Taiping (died 713), Tang dynasty princess * Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864), civil war in southern China ** Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851–1864), the re ...

(Itu Aba; ) ***

Zhongzhou Reef Zhongzhou Reef also known as Ban Than Reef and Centre Cay ( Mandarin ; vi, Bãi Bàn Than) is a small coral reef on the north edge of the Tizard Bank in the Spratly Islands, South China Sea under administration by the Republic of China (Taiwan) . ...

(Chung-Chou Reef; )

Disputed islands

The highly controversial sovereignty disputes over both the Japan-controlled Senkaku Islands and the

(which are disputed and controlled by several countries) are complex with the disputed status of both Taiwan (the territories outlined in the 1951

Treaty of San Francisco The , also called the , re-established peaceful relations between Japan and the Allied Powers on behalf of the United Nations by ending the legal state of war and providing for redress for hostile actions up to and including World War II. It w ...

) and the Republic of China (ROC) which controls Taiwan. As the ROC and the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

(PRC) still compete their ''de jure'' claim as the sole legitimate government of the entire China, they effectively lay claim to the same extent of islands, including the South China Sea Islands and the Senkaku Islands, among others. This makes these disputes multi-layered and therefore virtually impossible to solve by following the guidelines of

international law International law (also known as public international law and the law of nations) is the set of rules, norms, and standards generally recognized as binding between states. It establishes normative guidelines and a common conceptual framework for ...

. The ROC maintains its historical claims to all of the South China Sea Islands. They are also claimed by five other claimants, namely the PRC,

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

, the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

, and

Brunei Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely sur ...

. The islands within the Pratas and Spratly Islands which remain under the control of the ROC are assigned to

Cijin District Cijin District (; Hokkien POJ: ''Kî-tin-khu'') is a district of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, covering Cijin Island () and islands in the South China Sea. It is the second smallest district in Kaohsiung City after Yancheng District, with an area of ...

Kaohsiung City Kaohsiung City (Mandarin Chinese: ; Wade–Giles: ''Kao¹-hsiung²;'' Pinyin: ''Gāoxióng'') is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Kaohsiu ...

, thus technically defining these islands to be part of the "

". The

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

considers the South China Sea to be "

international waters The terms international waters or transboundary waters apply where any of the following types of bodies of water (or their drainage basins) transcend international boundaries: oceans, large marine ecosystems, enclosed or semi-enclosed regiona ...

" and does not acknowledge any of the South China Sea Islands as "true islands". The acknowledgement of these islands as "true islands" is crucial because the definition of "islands" would justify the creation of an exclusive economic zone around them, which can be used to cut off international shipping lanes and to acquire natural resources such as oil which lie beneath the ocean. Meanwhile, the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands are claimed by the ROC as "Diaoyutai Islands" within

Toucheng Township Toucheng Township () is an urban Township (Taiwan), township in Yilan County, Taiwan, Yilan County, Taiwan. The township includes Guishan Island (Yilan), Guishan Island and Guiluan Island in the Philippine Sea. The Senkaku Islands, known in Manda ...

, Yilan County and are considered to be part of geographic and provincial Taiwan by the ROC. The Senkaku Islands lie about 186 kilometres from the northeast of Taiwan Island, and situated roughly 330 kilometres from the east of mainland China. They form the westernmost extremity of the "

Ryukyu Islands The , also known as the or the , are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Taiwan: the Ōsumi, Tokara, Amami, Okinawa, and Sakishima Islands (further divided into the Miyako and Yaeyama Islands), with Yonaguni ...

", which Japan administers as

Okinawa Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city o ...

. The PRC also claims the Senkaku Islands as "Diaoyu Islands" as part of its claimed "

Taiwan Province Taiwan Province (; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ, PFS: ''Thòi-vàn-sén'' or ''Thòi-vân-sén'') is a nominal Administrative divisions of Taiwan, administrative division of the Taiwan, Republic of China (ROC). Its definition has remained part of the Constit ...

". The PRC claims the islands of Taiwan and Penghu as part of its 23rd

, together with the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands (claimed as "Diaoyudao Islands"), which are also claimed by the ROC as part of its own

. The PRC claims Kinmen (Quemoy) as a county of the prefecture-level city

Quanzhou Quanzhou, postal map romanization, alternatively known as Chinchew, is a prefecture-level city, prefecture-level port city on the north bank of the Jin River, beside the Taiwan Strait in southern Fujian, China. It is Fujian's largest metrop ...

, in

Fujian Province Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its cap ...

. Matsu is claimed as part of

Lianjiang County Lianjiang (; BUC: Lièng-gŏng) is a county on the eastern coast in Fuzhou prefecture-level city, the provincial capital of Fujian Province, China. Most of the county is administered by the People's Republic of China (PRC), while a number of ...

, part of

Fuzhou Fuzhou (; , Fuzhounese: Hokchew, ''Hók-ciŭ''), alternately romanized as Foochow, is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian province, China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute t ...

, in

. The Wuqiu islands are claimed as part of Xiuyu District, a district of the prefecture-level city

Putian Putian or Putien (, Putian dialect: ''Pó-chéng''), also known as Puyang (莆阳) and Puxian (莆仙), historically known as Xinghua or Hing Hwa (), is a prefecture-level city in eastern Fujian province, China. It borders Fuzhou City to the nor ...

, in

is claimed as part of Chengqu in

Shanwei Shanwei (), or Swabue is a prefecture-level city in eastern Guangdong province, People's Republic of China. It borders Jieyang to the east, Meizhou and Heyuan to the north, Huizhou to the west, and looks out to the South China Sea to the south. I ...

(Swabue)

Guangdong Province Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...

. The Nansha Islands controlled by the ROC, i.e.

Taiping Island Taiping Island, also known as Itu Aba, and also known by various other names, is the largest of the naturally occurring Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The island is elliptical in shape being in length and in width, with an area of . I ...

and

, are claimed as part of Sansha, in

Hainan Province Hainan (, ; ) is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), consisting of various islands in the South China Sea. , the largest and most populous island in China,The island of Taiwan, which is slightly l ...

. The PRC thus claims the ROC-controlled islands as part of its own Taiwan Province (Taiwan and Penghu), Fujian Province (Kinmen, Matsu and Wuqiu), Guangdong Province (Dongsha) and Hainan Province (Nansha).

References

{{Authority control * Taiwan, List

Islands An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

Taiwan, List